The Carnegie Library needs the roof to the historic side of the building fixed, the new library annex needs an air conditioner and the city apparently does not have money in the budget for either.
Librarian Tracy Caradine approached Coahoma County Supervisors earlier this month seeking funding for Phase II of repairs and saw the issue tabled. Caradine and architect Cory Crenshaw, of Belinda Stewart Architects, got basically the same response from the Clarksdale Board of Mayor and Commissioners on Monday.
The library was a hot-potato for the city and county two years ago as a chronically leaking roof threatened to shut down the facility. Repairs to the facility were initially projected at $75,000 but quickly spiraled into a $366,668 estimate, under then Library Board Chairman Shelia Winters.
Caradine pointed out the City of Clarksdale actually owns the facility and Coahoma County Supervisors levy a tax that funds operations at the Carnegie Library. Caradine and Crenshaw said the library is ready to begin Phase II, which has an estimated price tag of $160,044.
Ward 4 Commissioner Ed Seals made the motion to pay for half of the $16,000 needed to fix the air conditioner, but the motion died for lack of a second.
Ward 1 Commissioner Bo Plunk asked, grant writer Millicent Dixon to see if there was grant money available, because the city does not have money in the budget for that kind of expense at this time.
“I will ask you for a firm number, because we will start setting the budget in a month or two and if we know the cost we might be able to work it in,” said Plunk. “But we can’t do one number and then have you come back and tell us you need more.”
Caradine said the project was broken into two phases at the request of Clarksdale Mayor Chuck Espy, with initial work and repairs fixing the larger, newer library annex. Caradine said the annex has been without air conditioning most of the summer.
The county paid for the first part of repairs with ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) Funds. Caradine said prices for both material and labor have gone up since the project was proposed two years ago.
Caradine has said the Library has an operating budget of about $350,000.
The motion was tabled until the city’s July 22 meeting.
In Other Business:
• Police Chief Robbie Linley was quizzed by Seals about the city’s most recent homicides.
“Have you made an arrest in connection with the Page Street shooting?” asked Seals. “Do you think we need to put on a gang task force?”
Linley said they do have a person of interest in several of the city homicides this year. Linley also said his department is short staffed and he doesn’t see police forming a task force at this time.
Seals then asked about Linley about a 1991 homicide of a teacher that had never been solved and could the chief to go back and do a new, full scale investigation, as other commissioners negatively shook their heads and Mayor Espy flipped through the agenda.
Linley said he would look into the case and pointed out the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is helping the city with current investigations.
Linley also said the department took 734 calls over the past two weeks that created 330 incident reports. He said police Recognizing Several Exceptional Nonprofits in Clarksdale: Fuller Center; Griot Arts; and Spring Initiative.
I am a regular and longtime visitor to Clarksdale from the Chicago area. For years, I have volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, now the Clarksdale Area Fuller Center for Housing.
Recently, my nephew came to me because he needed service hours. He asked if I knew of any nonprofit organizations for which he could volunteer. Because of my positive experiences in the Delta, I immediately thought of Clarksdale and reached out to Fuller Center, Griot Arts, and Spring Initiative.
Spring Initiative was heading out of town on one of its amazing summer trips with students, but Fuller and Griot had work! With service projects awaiting us and the schedules of many aligning in a miraculous way, we headed to Mississippi.
This is how my nephew and I found ourselves in Clarksdale for over a week this spring. We worked with Fuller during the weekdays and with Griot on the weekends and evenings. JoAnn Blue, Executive Director of Fuller, and Ben Williams, its Construction Supervisor, plugged us into the remodeling project at the dorm for Fuller volunteers, while Rebekah Pleasant-Patterson, Executive Director of Griot, and Ben Lewis, its Deputy Director, introduced us to the Griot’s space where we helped with organizational tasks and minor repair jobs. Fuller also provided us with a comfortable home in which to stay because the Fuller dorm was being painted. Both Fuller and Griot were eager to welcome us, professional in their conduct, wonderful with which to work, and thankful for our visit. When we said goodbye to Clarksdale, we left with a sense of community and purpose that we had obtained from these organizations, which far exceeded the value of any help we had provided.
I would like to recognize the exceptional nonprofits Clarksdale has working for the community. The goal of Fuller Center, Griot Arts, and Spring Initiative to create positive change in Clarksdale is remarkable, and the people of Clarksdale who contribute to these organizations with their time and talents are extraordinary. It is an added benefit that, by giving young people from outside the Delta the opportunity to volunteer in Clarksdale, these nonprofits broadly spread their mission and message and extend their positive impact well beyond Clarksdale's city limits.
An enormous thank you to Fuller Center, Griot Arts, and Spring Initiative for their hard work and tremendous efforts!
Sharon Fitzpatrick Kacmarcik
La Grange Park, Ill.
made 34 arrests with two of those being juveniles and 10 being felony arrests. Linley said officers wrote 41 citations and worked 15 motor vehicle accidents.
• Commissioners discussed a lack of hires to cut grass and pick up litter in Public Works this summer.
Espy brought out a plan earlier this summer to hire disadvantaged youth between the ages of 14 and 18.
It was also pointed out the city is looking for police officers, firefighters, commercial vehicle driver and office help.
“We have all this opportunity and no one has stepped forward,” said Espy. “I guess this is a good problem, when your community has jobs to offer. We have jobs in Clarksdale.”
• Commissioner Willie Turner asked about the $10,000 computerized work-order system he helped implement several months ago that was supposed to generate a list of houses to be demolished, streets to be fixed and alleys to be cleaned.
Espy explained the computer is working but there is not “interdependence” between city departments and it needs to be used.
Plunk pointed out he has an abandoned house that was put on the list five years ago and has been set on fire three times this year.
“We need to get this working and keep these jobs in the right location and order,” said Turner. “We need to use this software.”
• Cassandra Wilson approached the board seeking partnership for her non-profit and requesting the donation of land to start a free community garden and a building/meeting space for youth outreach.
• Alfred Kemp came before the board seeking to block off East Tallahatchie Street, July 20 for a community event.
• DARTS requested a donation for Community Transportation Day hosted by Aaron E. Henry, DARTS and Delta Bus Line on July 16. Espy said the city could support the effort but could not give a donation.
• The city acknowledged a letter received from business owner Dave Houston Jr. in regards to trash pickup requesting reimbursement of $1,800 for trash pick-up neglect since 2018.
• Family and Youth Opportunities Division Inc., once again was before the board request $5,000 for demolition and removal of the 1967 addition of the old Myrtle Hall Library. No action was taken.
• Commissioners authorized the forfeit of a City Auditorium deposit by Kelton Robinson for violating the auditorium rental policies.
• The city tabled appointments for the Airport Board, Planning Commission, Election Commission and Quality of Life committee.
• The city approved a letter from Watkins, Ward and Stafford for completion of the 2021 audit.
• The city paid the debit card account for the month of June in the amount of $3,380.07.
• The city paid Accounts Payable for the month of June in the amount of $79,865.24.
• The city paid the following miscellaneous claims: Cornerstone, $4,339.50; Sandra Johnson, $2,332.57; CSpire, $666.60; Virginia Johnson, $250; Boiler and Pressure Vessel Safety, $82; Acrisure, $763.05; Catalis, $3,024; Integrated Communications, $9,642.
• The city approved a quote for an ice machine at the fire department from Clarksdale Appliance Service for $5,600.
• The city approved quotes received from Russell's Tree Service to remove trees at 340 Cherry for $1,800 and 647 Cherry for $2,250.
• The city approved a quote T&C Cassidy Excavation for $15,000 to haul dirt to the landfill.
• The city offered employment in the fire department to Quetson Skipper and Bentavious Galmore as firefighters.
• The city approved the second payment for Friars Point Bridge work in the amount of $61,625.46 to M&N Excavators and $6,619.64 to Smith & Weiland.
• The city voted to go into executive session for a strategy sessions or negotiations with respect to prospective litigation, litigation or issuance of an appealable order when an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the public body - Litigation in the Police and Public Works Department.
Basically the city is being sued for accidents in the police department and public works.
• The city recessed until its vetting meeting at noon, Thursday, July 18 at City Hall. All city board meetings are open to the public and the community is urged to attend.
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